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Yes Tenorman - two of the staff have now left Mole - can't remember their names. The guy running it is looking for new premises near a tube station so if anyone sees anything get in touch with him. I think Mole has a valuable place in London jazz despite the difficulty in competing with the biggies because their book and journal section is better than anyone else's including Ray's and that goes for their extremely large selection of s/h CDs.
Let's keep supporting them!

Tenorman, The problem for Mole was more Amazon and Tower (ie, online) than HMV and Virgin.

The prices in HMV, Oxford Street, were (I haven't been there for over five years) always top bat. The standard retail markup was, and still is as far as I am aware, 50% on the wholesale price but HMV's markup was well in excess of this although the overheads in Oxford Street were (are) probably horrendous.

On the other hand, it used to annoy me that wholesalers would often offer big stores more discount than to the specialist shops.

The last I heard, and this was a couple of years ago, was that Graham Griffiths and Ed Wilkerson(sp?) of New Note had taken over and Pete Fincham had gone. Has this now changed again?

Another Vinyl shop just off Oxford street and Lo-and-behold "What The Dickens" £60 Yes Sixty Quid. I was gong to put a little mark on the cover to see if it was the same album following me around the shops. It keeps going up by £15 increments

Just been playing my cherished copy of 'Mexican Green' and I have to say it's fantastic as is Tubbs' playing. I only wish I'd been prompt enough to get my hands on the limited re-issue of it on CD by Universal (Japan). The 'best of' Tubbs CD, also by Universal Japan ('King Tubbs') has one track from 'Mexican Green' ('Dear Johnny B') which justified the cost of the album alone. Maybe Universal will re-issue or license the re-issue of this classic of British modern jazz in the UK? Maybe, just maybe?

I don't have the Tubby discography so can't check the details on
Mexican Green etc. Is the Master Mix Music cd For Members Only
CDCHE10 and its more recent update covering Jan,Aug & Oct dates in 1967 feature different music?

Peter, just for the record (groan) 'Mexican Green' is a studio album from which most of the tracks are covered on 'For Members Only' but the latter is a live album. MG, in my opinion is superior because the recording quality is excellent but not as good on Members. The personnel is the same on both albums; TH + Mike Pyne on piano, Ron Mathewson on bass and Tony Levin on drums.

Rather than pay £500 + try and obtain the Japanese Universal compilation CD 'King Tubby', which you can import from either Dusty Groove (USA) or Revolution International (UK) for around £20-£25. Here's what Dusty Groove say about it:-

"There's a great Talking Jazz sort of spirit to the tunes on the set -- all of which are pulled from out of print Fontana albums that include Tubb's Tours, Tubbs, Costanzo Plus Tubbs, Return Visit, and Mexican Green. Titles include "African Congo Y Boleo", "Down In The Village", "Dear Johnny B", "Raga", "The Late One", "Sasa Hivi", and "The Southern Suite Part 2 -- Chase & Capture" "

It's worth it just for "Dear Johnny B" (from the amazing Mexican Green album, in my opinion). Excellent album and shame on Universal UK for ignoring this true genius of British jazz.

Do hurry though because Japan Universal's other Tubby Hayes CD re-issues have all sold out (except 100% Proof - which - oddly they chose to re-issue in mono, when it was recorded in stereo - but maybe they didn't have a stereo master).

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